Key Points and Summary: The United States Navy lead Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) departed Pascagoula, Mississippi on January 18, 2026 for operational sea trials as the world’s first surface warship configured to carry Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missiles, completing a radical capability transformation that removed the ship’s two 155-millimeter Advanced Gun System installations after their $800,000-per-round guided projectiles were canceled for being barely less expensive than more capable cruise missiles.
-The Zumwalt-class — originally planned as a 32-hull fleet but ultimately reduced to three ships after the gun system failure — now represents the U.S. Navy’s leading platform for intercontinental-range conventional hypersonic strike capability at sea, with sister ships USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) also scheduled to receive the 12-missile CPS configuration.
USS Zumwalt: The Stealth Hypersonic Missile Destroyer
Admiral Elmo Russell “Bud” Zumwalt Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000) was one of the most beloved and revered United States Navy officers ever to hold the position of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO; equivalent of the U.S. Army and Air Force Chiefs of Staff and the Commandants of the U.S. Marine Corps and Coast Guard), for a multitude of good reasons, and therefore it’s fitting that he would have an entire class of warships named in his honor, namely the Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers (DDGs).
Alas, at least at first, these eponymous destroyers were proving themselves unworthy of the Admiral’s good name, instead turning out to be a majorly disappointing economic and technical boondoggle. However, in the spirit of the USN rallying cry of “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” just when it appeared that the Zumwalts were completely dead in the water (figuratively speaking, thankfully not literally). In a nutshell, the Zumwalt-class warships’ service life story could be summed up (in both the metaphorical and bureaucratic sense) as “’ Sunk’ by their Own Ammo, Raised by Hypersonic Missiles.”
The Inglorious Death: “Sunk” (Metaphorically) by Their Own Gun & Ammo
The once-promising gun that launched the (metaphorically) self-destructive ammo was the Advanced Gun System (AGS), which consisted of two 155mm (6.1-inch) guns, a definite on-paper step up in size and power from the 5-inch (127mm) main guns that have been standard for Navy destroyers for many years. (6-inch bore size is more in line with the USN’s light cruisers of World War II) The manufacturer, BAE Systems, claimed these advanced guns had a range of 83 nautical miles (95.5 statute miles, 153.7 kilometers) and a rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute (one every six seconds).
However, as the saying goes, “The first casualty of war is truth” (or words to that effect), and when it came to this warship’s main gun, the first casualty was “Truth In Advertising.”
The AGS came up far short of the manufacturer’s claims, only attaining two-thirds of the forecast range (around 70 miles).
In other words, the gun fell victim to its own friendly fire, metaphorically speaking, a short round as it were (no, not the juvenile character from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” but rather a projectile that falls short of its intended target during firing exercises or combat).
To add insult to short-range injury, the AGS’s rocket-boosted Long Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAP; manufactured by Lockheed Martin) GPS-guided shells cost $800,000 USD each—barely less expensive than more precise, longer-range, and harder-hitting cruise missiles.
The Navy finally canceled the exorbitantly expensive projectile, leaving the Zumwalt with two huge guns that were unshootable. And any gun without ammo, whether a small arm or a big naval gun, is merely an expensive paperweight.
Accordingly, of the 32 hulls originally planned, only three were built and commissioned. (Shades of the sad Seawolf submarine story!)
The Glorious Resurrection: Raised by Hypersonic Missiles
Once again, we’re speaking metaphorically here, since in the literal sense, hypersonics are seen as ship-killers (especially to aircraft carriers) rather than ships’ lifesavers. Nonetheless, the irony isn’t lost on us.
As the saying goes, “When life deals you lemons, make lemonade.” The Zumwalts’ “resurrection by hypersonics” redemption story began in 2023, when the Navy committed to a radical, think-outside-the-box solution: remove both of those troublesome AGS gun systems entirely and convert the ships to carry the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile.
The CPS weapons system uses a two-stage solid rocket booster to accelerate a Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) to speeds exceeding Mach 5 (3,836 mph, 6,174 km/h) before it separates and maneuvers toward its target.
Continuing with the concept of second chances, Lockheed Martin was given its own shot (no gun pun intended) at redemption when it was awarded a $1.1 billion initial contract to develop the CPS.
To make this ambitious plan a reality, the forward gun housing was completely scrapped to create space for hypersonic missiles’ cells, whilst the second gun emplacement was gutted internally, freeing up substantial volume below decks for additional systems and future growth.
Fast-forward to January 18, 2026, and there was an update from Aditya Kumar, Defense & Geopolitics Analyst for The Defense News (an India-based publication), noting that USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), the lead ship of the Zumwalt-class destroyers, had departed Pascagoula, Mississippi, to begin sea trials, thus affirming and manifesting its rebranding as the world’s first destroyer configured to carry long-range hypersonic missiles, Kumar added that “[T]he trials represent a pivotal moment not only for Zumwalt herself, but for the future of U.S. naval strike doctrine…the 15,000-ton stealth destroyer has now been repurposed into a platform for intercontinental-range conventional strike, placing it at the center of America’s effort to field operational hypersonic weapons at sea.”
The Way Forward for the Revived Zumwalts
Mr. Kumar pointed out that DDG-1000 was the only member of the trio to have received the CPS retrofit thus far; construction on the ship was completed in late 2025, with the installation of the hypersonic payload modules finalized that November.
However, her two sister ships, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), are not to be outdone, as they’re also scheduled to receive the same 12-missile CPS configuration.
Work on the little Johnson has already begun, with the forward gun mount removed and major ‘rip-out’ activities completed to strip obsolete equipment. The “LBJ” is expected to return to service before Monsoor enters dry dock in 2027 for her own upgrade phase.
Sidebar Note: USS Michael Monsoor was named for Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Anthony Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Ramadi, Iraq on Sept. 29, 2006, whilst DDG-1002 was named for a U.S. President who had a rather inauspicious stint as Commander-in-Cief of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War but did serve honorably as a naval officer in WWII (attaining the rank of Commander [O-5]).
Looking Back on the Namesake: Admiral Zumwalt Mini-Bio
Now that the late great “Bud” Zumwalt finally has a warship class that’s living up to his worthy name (and therefore he can stop rolling over in his grave), this is as good a time as any to briefly revisit his illustrious career.
He was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Elmo Russell Zumwalt Sr. and his wife, Frances Pearl (née Frank) Zumwalt, both country doctors. Elmo Jr. was appointed to the US Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1939, graduating with distinction in 1942, a year early, and was commissioned as Ensign two years early due to WWII manpower needs. (Previously, new USNA graduates were required to serve two years of sea duty before receiving their commissions.) His early sea tours included service aboard four destroyers (DDs) and the legendary Iowa-class battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64).
Zumwalt went on to command the destroyer escort USS Tills (DE-748), the destroyer USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869), the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-45), Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven, and Naval Forces, Vietnam.
Zumwalt first attained flag rank on 1 July 1965. A mere five years later, he reached the pinnacle of his naval career, as then-President Richard Milhous Nixon (himself a former Navy officer, coincidentally attaining the same rank of Commander as his predecessor, LBJ) tapped him as the 19th CNO in July 1970 at the age of 49, in the process becoming the youngest officer ever named to the post. Consistently following that 5-year pattern, ADM Zumwalt would retire exactly five years later. His impressive array of accomplishments during his stint as CNO included:
-The commissioning of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates (FFGs).
-The creation of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
-Championing of the F-14 Tomcat as the USN’s replacement for the F-4 Phantom II.
-“Z-gram” Z-66, which improved career opportunities for ethnic minorities within the Navy; in the good Admiral’s own words, “There is no black Navy, no white Navy—just one Navy—the United States Navy.”
-“Z-gram” Z-116: Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women in the Navy, which opened ratings to enlisted females, established a pathway for women to be assigned to ships, and opened all staff corps and restricted line communities to the ladies.
ADM (Ret.) Zumwalt passed away at age 79 at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, after losing his final battle with mesothelioma. His funeral service was held at the Naval Academy Chapel, and he was fittingly laid to rest at Section 3, Lot 3082 of the USNA Cemetery.
May this mighty warrior Rest In Peace. Fair winds and following seas, sailor, we have the watch.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (with a concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series,” the second edition of which was recently published.
